Transport operators across Maharashtra have announced a state-wide chakka jam on March 5 along with an indefinite strike beginning at midnight, intensifying their agitation against the electronic challan system and several other issues affecting the transport sector. The Maharashtra Transport Action Committee (MTAC) issued the strike call after the latest round of discussions with the state government ended without any breakthrough. The meeting, held on the evening of March 4 at the office of the Transport Commissioner, failed to produce a mutually acceptable solution. As a result, transport unions decided to escalate their protest, warning that services across multiple segments of the industry could be severely affected.
Before the strike begins, transporters plan to stage protests in different parts of the state. Demonstrations will take place at Azad Maidan and outside several Regional Transport Office premises across major cities. According to union representatives, the protests will continue throughout the day before the agitation turns into an indefinite strike at midnight. A wide range of transport services are expected to be impacted, including school buses, private and contract carriage buses, trucks, tempos, taxis and tankers. However, the School Bus Owners Association stated that school buses will operate normally on March 5, though services may stop from March 6 if the protest continues.
Earlier this week, Pratap Sarnaik, the Transport Minister of Maharashtra, held discussions with transporters at the headquarters of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation in Mumbai. Despite the meeting, union leaders said they did not receive any firm commitments from the government regarding their concerns. During the talks, the minister urged transporters to reconsider the agitation and assured them that authorities were prepared to review e-challans considered unfair. He also said that challans issued to vehicles parked in permitted locations could be cancelled after verification, but transporters maintained that broader reforms were still required.
Transport unions say their protest is mainly directed against what they describe as arbitrary enforcement through the e-challan system and the rising financial pressure on the sector. Their list of demands includes reforms to the electronic challan mechanism, cancellation of pending penalties, and reductions in taxes and toll charges imposed on commercial vehicles. The unions have also opposed a proposed rule requiring transporters to clear e-challans within 45 days. Under the amendment proposed earlier this year, failure to pay within the stipulated period could affect permit renewals, vehicle fitness certificates and other regulatory approvals for commercial vehicles.
Union leaders argue that the present system has created difficulties not only for transport businesses but also for ordinary motorists. They claim that many e-challans remain pending for long periods and should be cancelled if authorities fail to file cases within the legally specified timeframe. Citing provisions under Rules 468 and 514 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, they contend that challans exceeding the limitation period should not remain enforceable. According to the unions, the current mechanism has resulted in mounting penalties and administrative complications, increasing the burden on drivers and vehicle owners across the state.
Apart from the e-challan issue, transporters have raised several operational concerns affecting their daily work. They have demanded the removal of highway check posts and called for improved facilities for drivers, including rest areas, emergency services and better infrastructure along major highways. The unions also criticised repeated regulatory requirements mandating the installation of devices such as panic buttons, vehicle tracking systems, high-security number plates, fire detection systems and CCTV cameras. According to transporters, these measures significantly increase operating costs and place additional financial pressure on vehicle owners and fleet operators.
Transport unions have also urged the government to review “no-entry” restrictions imposed in many urban areas, stating that frequent and sudden changes disrupt both passenger services and cargo movement. They argue that such regulations create delays and logistical challenges for drivers navigating city routes. If the strike proceeds as planned and talks between the government and transport unions do not resume, passenger transport and the movement of goods across several regions of Maharashtra could face considerable disruption in the coming days.